Elena sat behind the desk, looking out over her office, just sitting there. The only sound was the tapping of the Captain’s fingers as she strummed her left hand across the desk. The only light came from the dimly lit console in front of her. She had been sitting there for what had to have been several hours. Looking around, she couldn’t help but notice the lack of personal touches. The office was empty and cold; she needed to fix that.

She looked down at her desk, glancing over the various departmental reports. Internally, she couldn’t help but replay the recent events in her mind. Ever since these anomalies had appeared, she had noticed an increase in the crew’s anxiety. Now, with one inside her station and Romulans and Klingons at her door, she was at a loss for words.

The door chimed just as she was about to take a sip from her coffee cup. “Come in,” she called, setting the beverage aside. She hoped for something positive, but at this point, she would have settled for something slightly less negative.

Lieutenant O’Connor, the station’s communications officer, said, “Captain, we have an incoming message from Starfleet Command. It’s marked as urgent.” He paused. “I’m afraid it is visual only.”

Captain Mitchell sighed as her brain registered that the Federation would not provide a helpful solution. “Patch it through, I guess,” she said, standing and moving to the larger screen on the wall.

Gab entered the room just as the message flickered to life on the screen. “What’s the verdict?” he asked.

“Well, let’s see,” Elena folded her arms. “They’ve been closely monitoring our situation and are aware of the apertures around the station and in Cargo Bay 3. Our priority at the moment is securing the area. Starfleet is concerned that the arrival of less-than-savory individuals could pose a security risk to the station and the Federation.”

She continued, “Given our strategic significance, we are being issued new orders effective immediately. The apertures are of great importance not just for their scientific value but also for their potential threat. Our orders are to increase patrols and monitor the phenomenon, ensure the safety of Federation assets, namely Eos Station, and manage incoming threats.”

Elena looked at the Commander, “At the same time, we must prevent unauthorized access by various factions that might exploit the situation.” Elena nodded as she closed the message. “Clear as mud,” she smirked.

Commander Harris crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. “We’ll need to brief the crew and ensure everyone’s on the same page.”

“Agreed.”

Sometime later, the main briefing room on Eos Station was filled with the station’s senior staff. The tension was evident as Captain Mitchell took her place at the head of the table. A large screen behind her displayed a rotating image of the station and the surrounding space, highlighting the locations of the known apertures.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” she began. “We’ve received new orders from Starfleet Command regarding the apertures.” She tapped a control on the table. “Our orders now include three primary objectives: increased patrols around this phenomenon, ensuring the safety of our local citizens, and preventing unauthorized access to,” she paused, “well, everything.”

The crew listened as Elena outlined their new orders. “These anomalies are unpredictable. We need to be ready to respond to any changes. I want emergency teams on standby, just in case. With the appearance of these ships, we can’t afford to be caught without pants down.”

Gab added, “Our first duty is to ensure the safety of everyone on and around this station. We cannot allow any harm from these phenomena or factions attempting to use them for personal gain.”

Elena nodded. “Commander Harris is right. There are people out there who would love to exploit these apertures for their gain. We cannot let that happen. Our security protocols will be tightened, and we will coordinate closely with other Federation ships in the area.”

“Lieutenant Prad, I need you to organize increased patrols. No one gets near Cargo Bay 3 without our knowledge. There is bound to be some confusion among the civilian population, so ensure your people are prepared for anything. Things tend to go crazy when mess confusion sets in.”

Somehow, Lieutenant Prad appeared more stoic than usual, “Understood, Captain. We’ll be ready.”

“Lieutenant Thompson,” the Captain looked at the Assistant Engineering, wondering why Captain Bates wasn’t here. “I want Engineering working on the installation of new monitoring equipment. We need to track every fluctuation in those apertures, especially the one inside the station. If that thing so much as twitches, I want people there.”

“We’ll get it done, Captain,” came the simple reply.

“Dr. Turner,” she looked at the Science Chief, “your team will collaborate with Engineering. I want every possible scan and test thrown at that thing. We need to be ready for anything, so we need answers.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Other than that, it’s business as usual. Be alert, ready, and mindful of what is happening around you. Dismissed!”

But the very thing Elena wanted to avoid was already taking place. How could it not? Ships appearing and disappearing: someone was bound to notice. Quiet conversations among crew and civilians were taking place. Ensign Carter and a group of junior officers discussed the situation over dinner in one of the mess halls.

“This whole thing with the apertures has everyone on edge,” Carter said, pushing his food around his plate. “What if something terrible comes through one of those things? The Borg, for example?”

“Josh, seriously,” Amanda Tate popped a piece of food in her mouth. “Don’t you think the stress level is high enough without you stating the obvious?”

Ensign Parker smiled. “Come on, Mandy, we’re all thinking the same thing.”

“Okay, maybe…” Mandy shrugged.

“See,” Carter started again.

The conversations and concerns of the junior officers echoed the feelings of everyone throughout the station. As the day came to a close, the weight of the situation increased the anxiety felt by all. 

Later that evening, Captain Mitchell retreated to her quarters. As she laid down on the bed, she began recording a personal log. “Captain’s Log, supplemental. Today, we received new orders from Starfleet Command regarding the apertures. We have a lot of challenges ahead, but I have confidence in my crew. This may be a new crew, but I am confident we can prove ourselves capable of handling whatever this is.”

She paused, looking out the viewport into the black of space. “The unknown questions are weighing heavily on my mind. Where did these come from? Is someone behind this? What do they want? Too many questions with very few answers.”

She continued. “The safety of this station and its inhabitants depends on me—no, us. This is a team effort.” Captain Mitchell leaned back against the headboard, contemplating the unknowns and hoping that tomorrow didn’t bring a new set of challenges.

Meanwhile, aboard the bridge of the IKS Vo’ta, Captain Korta glared at the main viewscreen, his eyes focused on the station. Intelligence reports from the Council spread before him told a disturbing story—one that Korta was determined to confront head-on.

“Captain,” growled his first officer, standing rigidly at his side. “We’ve confirmed that the Federation has increased its presence around the apertures. Their intentions are unclear, but the timing is suspicious.”

Korta’s lips curled into a snarl. “Enough of these games,” he spat. “We will get our answers. Signal Eos Station, inform them we demand an audience with Captain Mitchell.” Korta’s eyes remained fixed on the viewscreen, his thoughts turning to the confrontation ahead. The Federation’s secrets would not remain hidden for long. “The Chancellor and the Empire will not be ignored.”